


A Love Story Between a Movie Star and a Cute Kissing Monster

by ArgentDandelion



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Affection, Analysis, Celebrities, Character Analysis, Episode Review, Forbidden Relationships, Gen, Jouto-chihou | Johto Region (Pokemon), Meta, Nonfiction, Pokemon, Relationship(s), Reviews
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28317993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentDandelion/pseuds/ArgentDandelion
Summary: A review of "The Screen Actor's Guilt", one of the more memorable Pokemon Johto series filler episodes. Covers interpretations of Brad's alternative masculinity, and non-romantic relationships following "star-crossed lovers"-esque plot beats.
Relationships: Brad van Darn & Smoochum
Kudos: 1





	A Love Story Between a Movie Star and a Cute Kissing Monster

(Contrasting personas of the movie star Brad Van Darn)

The episode “The Screen Actor’s Guilt” is one of the more memorable filler episodes of the Johto series because the character of the day has a compelling problem and characterization, minimal as it is due to screentime limits.

One could read his problem as simply an action-movie star practically synonymous with a manufactured tough-guy persona proudly talking to everyone about how much he loves his cute, pink kissing monster, and people thinking no less of him for something seemingly ill-matching with his tough-guy role. However, one could also read this as a subtle message against excessive, constant stoic action-hero masculinity and too much concern for what others will think, or concern for one’s “branding”.

# Plot Summary

(Readers may skip in case they’re already familiar with the episode. The [episode link](https://watch.pokemon.com/en-us/#/player?id=6141a7a19ee84754891bb78a49677d26) is here.)

The plot, in brief, is that a mysterious stranger hands over a Smoochum in a bundle to Ash and friends and says he’ll be back later at that spot. Ash and friends learn from a movie preview that the stranger was the action movie star Brad van Darn, and they think poorly of him for leaving his Smoochum with them. Team Rocket lures away and steals Smoochum, Togepi, and Pikachu, but Ash and friends show up, take them all back, and defeat Team Rocket.

Meanwhile, Brad has returned to that street corner but cannot find Ash and friends, nor his Smoochum; he is shocked by a crowd of his fans showing up. His agent, Vitzo, pulls up in a limo and tells him to get in; Brad sadly does. As Ash and friends are passing by, Smoochum notices a forlorn Brad in the passing limo, and they all get to his destination: the city’s convention center.

In a room in the convention center, Brad tells Vitzo to cancel the show: he can’t do it without Smoochum. Vitzo refuses, and emphasizes he’s better off without Smoochum; he ought to have a Pokemon better for his tough-guy image. But Brad says Smoochum was always there for him: when he washed dishes for free meals (suggesting he was down on his luck) and when his dance instructor yelled at him, and he would never leave Smoochum. Outside the convention center, Ash tries to find a way inside the building by climbing a tree next to a window: the window of the room Brad is in. Brad thinks he heard Smoochum, but Vitzo dismisses it and (seeing Ash and Smoochum by the window) closes the curtains of the window. Ash and friends eventually get inside; though Vitzo tries to turn them away by saying Brad doesn’t want Smoochum anymore, Brad shows up and delightedly reunites with Smoochum.

Brad’s spirits up again, he agrees to prepare for the show, asking if Ash and friends could play with his Smoochum until he gets back. While Brad’s gone, Vitzo commands two security guards (actually Team Rocket in disguise) to get rid of Ash and friends and Smoochum. Team Rocket leads them into a net trap behind the curtain of a stage, and Smoochum tumbles out, to be grabbed (and fawned over) by Jessie.

Meowth accidentally opens the curtains, showing everyone to the big crowd of Brad Van Darn fans assembled. Brad shows up, is clearly concerned for Smoochum, and agilely dodges the Poison Sting of Jesse’s Arbok and Tackle of James’ Weezing. With the help of Ash and his Pokemon, Brad defeats Team Rocket, saves the crowd from collateral damage from James’ Weezing’s Smokescreen, and rescues Smoochum. Brad, holding Smoochum, tells it “You mean the world to me”, and he tells the audience that what they saw was real: Smoochum really is his Pokemon. Despite Vitzo’s trepidation that Brad’s Pokemon being a Smoochum doesn’t fit his image, the audience loves it: they apparently like a “sensitive guy”. As Ash and friends leave, they see a movie preview of Brad in a movie, with his Smoochum saving his character from falling as the two climb a waterfall.

## Why Is this Episode So Good?

(Brad and Smoochum climbing a waterfall)

Although almost all characters exist only for this one episode, two out of three (not counting Brad’s fans) are fairly well-developed for their screentime. Brad has a strong relationship with his Smoochum, somewhat similar to Ash and Pikachu; most obviously, he doesn’t keep Smoochum in a Poke Ball and doesn’t seem to even have one for Smoochum. In later parts of the franchise, it’s more common to see Pokemon by their Trainers’ sides like Ash with Pikachu, but at this point in the Pokemon franchise, it seems not everyone has a “Pokemon partner” or keeps one out of its Poke Ball in public, making their relationship more notable.

Brad’s manager Vitzo is one of the two antagonists of the episode, and arguably the main antagonist. Team Rocket is often the main or only antagonist of Johto filler episodes, so Vitzo having such a big role and characterization relative to screentime is unusual. As restrictive as Brad’s role and typecasting is, Vitzo does have a point that Brad’s career may plummet if words get out he has a Smoochum. Though he doesn’t point this out to Brad, as Brad’s manager, he will lose his job if Brad falls out of popularity.

## A Love Story?

Some of the plot beats are the sort that might be expected of a forbidden romance: a socially constricted well-regarded man (a movie star) must keep some sort of “improper” (bad means of expression, bad target, etc.) relationship a secret, for the sake of his reputation, respect, and continued prosperity.

A movie advert describes Brad van Darn as: “He’s more electrifying than a Zapdos! He’s cooler than an Articuno! And he’s hotter than a smoldering Moltres! Now the golden boy on the silver screen is back! Watch for Brad van Darn in Ultra Maximum!” The advertisement notably doesn’t say his character is like this, and is played by Brad Van Darn; it seems the movie’s appeal rides on it being an actor vehicle for Brad van Darn and Brad’s image, so Brad’s success banks on not simply his skill in acting or stunts, but his image as someone hot, cool, and “electrifying”.

Vitzo is the major antagonist who schemes to keep Brad and Smoochum apart, primarily for what he thinks is Brad’s own good. Vitzo tries to persuade him to get rid of Smoochum, tries to prevent him from reuniting with Smoochum, and outright kicks out Smoochum and Ash, Misty and Brock with the help of some security guards (Team Rocket in disguise) to get rid of Smoochum.

Brad is secretly tender and loving to his Smoochum. Brad steadfastly insists on how he won’t get any other Pokemon (not even for appearance’s sake!) how special Smoochum is to him, and outright says, in front of about a hundred fans, to Smoochum: “You mean the world to me.” Brad loves Smoochum so much he’s willing to risk his career on it, and does not succumb to the pressure of the business, or his fans, nor the advice of his manager. As important as his tough-guy image was, as soon as Vitzo realizes the fans love him with a Smoochum, Vitzo immediately characterizes him as a “sensitive guy”.

# The Protagonists are the Side Dish?

Interestingly, Ash and friends have only an indirect influence on Brad’s decision. Although they endeavored to return Smoochum to Brad, Brad certainly wasn’t about to cave in to Vitzo’s advice. They’re important to the plot more so as Team Rocket bait, and the way Brad gets roped into the Team Rocket fight displays how important Smoochum is to him. The plot would probably have worked the same if, say, Richie or Casey (friendly, recurring, traveling Johto series characters) tried to return Smoochum to Brad and brought along a slightly less Pikachu-obsessed Team Rocket or equivalent (e.g., a less competent Butch and Cassidy).

## A Message on Gender Roles?

Although Smoochum is unsuitable for a star like Brad, many species would also be unsuitable: Muk, Rattata or Spinarak, for example. Implicitly, Smoochum doesn’t fit Brad’s tough guy image because it is cutesy, or perhaps cutesy and feminine. The whole species’ gimmick is being an adorable baby that kisses people! Half Smoochum’s actions here are kissing people! Brad’s Smoochum’s only known attack is confusing people with its sweetness! Yet, in a preview for an upcoming film where Smoochum is guessed to be the “co-star”, Brad slips as he climbs a waterfall, asks Smoochum for help, and Smoochum hauls him up. Brad, the tough guy who cracks one-liners after beating up a group of bad guys, who does his own stunts, is shown as being vulnerable and needing help, from a tiny, cutesy, pink, logically weak monster, at that.

The fans’ positive reaction and Vitzo’s re-characterization could suggest people can be more complicated than a stoic action hero tough guy at all times, or that there are multiple ways to be a man—even one that’s still “more electrifying than a Zapdos, cooler than an Articuno, and hotter than a smoldering Moltres”.

There are also a few other details showing Brad’s nontraditional, less-than-action-hero characterization. In a brief flashback, Brad was apparently the only male student at his dance instructor’s studio and got “yelled at”. (Unexpectedly, the dance instructor is himself male.) The way Brad’s eyes are drawn, with suggested thick eyelashes, makes him look closer to Jesse or James than most male characters. Jesse is a woman/teenage girl, and James is, famously, James. When Brad dodges the attacks of Team Rocket’s Pokemon, his fans say: “He’s dreamy! Flexible, too!” (Men are not typically praised for their flexibility, and women are generally more flexible than men.) Brock also points out Brad’s a “tough guy on the outside, but a real cream puff on the inside”. “Cream puff”, according to Dictionary.com and The Free Dictionary, has slang or informal meanings of “a weak or timid person”, “a gay man” or “an effeminate man”. (It’s unclear whether those slang meanings existed when this episode first aired.)

This episode was probably not meant to be a criticism of gender roles at any level: Pokemon episodes aren’t meant to be deep. Still, the fact one could easily read a subtext into this episode does make it richer.

**Author's Note:**

> The author enjoys comments. Feel free to comment, either here or on the author's [Tumblr](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/) or [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.social/posts/1947978).


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